Reviews

Good reviews below, especially the comments by "Dark Moon." George Hayes certainly alternates his speech in different scenes, taking on the speech characteristics of "Gabby" and his natural voice. George "Gabby" Hayes was my favorite "sidekick" to the different western heroes in the movies, such as Roy Rogers. John Wayne did well in this movie.

Toward the end of the film, when the rustlers show up at the Lazy M to steal Bess Mathews' horse herd, the director uses what appears to be stock footage of a roundup. How much stock footage did they have available in 1935, though? Watch closely, and see if you don't agree that it was copied frame-for-frame from silent film footage. Silent films were shot at a slower frame rate than the "talkies"; the horses the herders are riding appear to be walking a bit fast, there. :) These scenes are a bit more grainy-- and the exposure is more uneven-- than the rest of the film, and the sound only vaguely matches the action. I suppose most people would be "Meh, so what?" but little behind-the-scenes things like this interest me, especially when a historical dimension is added. ("Unknown Chaplin" is one of my most prized documentaries in my video collection...)

As for Lucille Browne, I have to agree that her acting is uneven at best. But I also have to say that Mr. Bradbury directed her strangely. In her first appearance, where her car stalls out on the way in to town, she looks and speaks directly into the camera. In my experience, this is done only when the script calls for "breaking the 4th wall" and having the character speak directly to the audience. Yet it becomes immediately clear when the scene cuts to the next camera angle that she is speaking to her driver. Most peculiar...

In general, I have to agree with other reviewers who have remarked that they like Wayne's earlier work better. For me, this is because he was still an actor in a movie, while his later films (with the notable exception of The Quiet Man) were more inclined to be star vehicles for the showcasing of John Wayne.

Reviewer:Dr Feel Rotten -
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December 31, 2010 Subject:
Great acting by some

utterly horrible by others especially Lucile Browne as Bess. She acts like she's in a grade school production of Shakespeare..you almost expect her to look to the director to ask what the next line is.. Wayne should have slapped her and said, "alright little missy..if'n yer gonna act then act right. otherwise go hustle drinks and strip in the saloon!"
I like the movie only because it was so early in Wayne's career, but gawd almighty she was worse than rats chewing on breakfast.

Reviewer:surfvh -
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March 25, 2006 Subject:
Love those old John Wayne Flicks

It's nice to see a young John Wayne who's likeable and unassuming. Simple plots with lots of riding, shooting, beautiful open country, and bad guys who bite the dust. The good guys win and get the girl. Great Stuff! You can't beat these old films for pure entertainment value! Enjoy!

Right now, I am downloading the Texas Terror and loving it. I have this film on tape but I have always wanted on DVD along with some other of Mr. Wayne's films. The years from 1931-1938
were as Mr. Wayne refer to as "his drinkin' and eatin' years" These films were made in 8 days at approximatly 10 to 15 thousand on budget with
a chunk of it going to John as star. Lone Star
gave way to Republic studios and John went along
with the switchover. In 1939, John Ford made a little film called Stagecoach and the rest they say is history.

A very good early John Wayne B western written and directed by Robert Bradbury, the father of western actor Bob Steele, and probably one of the best B western directors until Leslie Selander came on the scene a few years later. It's interesting to watch George Hayes' performance in this one. It seems he's not sure if he wants to use his "Gabby" voice or his normal voice, and he switches back and forth from scene to scene. LeRoy Mason, as usual, makes a worthy villian. There is lots of good action. As with most of these early westerns, however, I miss the chase music. Good print.